Ruth and the man in her story (the dunce/genius) both gave themselves labels early in life. Though usually negative, labels can also be positive. In either case, they are powerful.
Answer the following questions:
1. What kind of labels have you given yourself in your life, and why? Have they been helpful or harmful in your opinion?
2. What labels have been given to you by others? Did they help you or hurt you?
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Since i was a child,i have labeled myself as a bad girl maybe because i was always doing the wrong things.In my case, i think that they have been helpful because now i do things "carefully".
ReplyDeleteI have heard a lot of stuff.When i was in high school my math teacher used to say that i was a bad student and that i didn't need to work hard, because i would never understand anything related with math.Unfortunately,i've never been a good student at math but,since my teacher told me this i got worst.Also, my mother used to tell me that i was guilt of all her suffer and other things of her life.
ReplyDeleteAll these labels, used to hurt me;fortunately now they don't hurt me so much, i just kind of do my best,and when someone want to make or say things to hurt me, i just left them talk or do whatever they want and go to another place. I have said to myself that the most important for me now, it's to do things that make me feel well abd if i have difficulties with something i will try to get some useful help.
1) When i was in elementary school, the school had held a sports(field) day every fall season.T hadn't finished last, but I'd never won a race. I labeled that i was extremely bad at running. After that, I always finished last in the race. Actually, I think I didn't concentrate all my energy...
ReplyDelete2) When i was in high school, i participated in a singing contest, and i won an award in it. My friends loved my husky voice, so they forced me to participate other contests, and i often won. My bestfriend labeled me "Ann". Ann was a korean singer but not popular, inspired me, and was my heroine. Since then, i've followed her vocal style. Finally, it made me to study vocal.
:)
Good night happy Holly and my friends!
When I was an elementary school student, I sloved difficult math question well because I had learned math from brother. In addition, my mother alwasys said that I was smart, so I labeled that I was really smart. However, I knew that I was not smart, and I was just a common student when I heard same situation from every friend. The reason that I could solve difficult math question was preparation that I had learned math from brother. Then, I realized that I had to study harder if I wanted to get good grade at school.
ReplyDeleteMy parents have labeled me as a smart person since elementary school. Sometimes it is helpful. Everytime that I need support to achieve a goal, this label makes me feel strong and very competitive. Also, I enjoy when I make real some of their dreams. But the worse thing is that you start to feel a compromise with your family, and is very stressful when you are facing some troubles that could have a none successful ending. If I cannot finish any goal with a good ending, I will feel I fail them. This make me be very exigent with myself and sometimes it is not good. Probably, I can have a kind of type A personality because of that. Fortunately, I enjoy everything that I decide to start, so it helps me to have success most of the times.
ReplyDeleteMy situation is a little similar as Ruth's situation.When i was in elementary school i was the smallest child in class and i used to wear big glasses. In that time i carried a big and heavy backpack.In consequence, this made me look like a very intelligent child and everybody thought i was very intelligent but i didn't notice that. Then all my classmates labeled me as smart kid.Even though i wasn't very intelligent,i was able to get A+ in many subjects even in Math.
ReplyDeleteAfter some years passed i went to high school.There I realized that everything is very different, the subjects, school and teachers. I didn't have the same classmates that called me "smart kid",so wasn't any more.All subject for me looked a little more difficult than in the elementary.When i started taking some classes i noticed that i'm not that good at Math.All about Math I knew were just rudimentary.It was like a catastrophe for me.At that time I labeled myself as not good in Math. I couldn't comprehend very well the subject so i floundered through the class.Now i'm going to university study Architecture.Many people say that i will face a lot of Math in university but it's ironic 'cause i don´t like Math at all.I have a dream to become an architect and will do everything to accomplish that even if i have to love Math.
ReplyDeleteI have always labeled myself as a person who can do whatever I face if I try an effort. Labeling like this was very helpful for academic performance and overcoming many difficulties. However, I had experience a big failure when I applied for a university. The university was the place I was very anxious for admission, but I couldn't enter. It was a terrible shock because I had almost never failed by that time. Disappoint was also as big as belief in myself. From that time on, for several years, I had dreamed about taking a test for a university admission by the time I entered a better university than I wanted to enter after graduating from my first university. At that time, I realized that the too big belief forward myself make me frustrated in the same degree.
ReplyDeleteGreat writing, everybody. It shows that you're really thinking about the topic.
ReplyDeleteRenato, I notice all of your terrific vocabulary! Awesome!
Cristina, I agree that one key to success is enjoying what we are doing. We should seek to learn and do things that we are interested in. But even when we're in a situation that we don't like or we didn't choose, our attitude can make the experience positive or negative. In Paradise Lost, the author John Milton wrote, "The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven."
Eury, you have had some serious labels to deal with in your life so far. It's good that you recognize them--that's the first step in therapy--and now its time to liberate yourself from them! It sounds like you have a lot of self-knowledge.
Well, as you asked, i'll tell you a story.
ReplyDeleteWhen i was in elementary school i was the first on the class in all subjects. I used to focus on every single word that teachers were saying in the class, and never read anything at home even preparing for finaly exams, and i was always get the highest grade in the class. i was labeled as genius from all the people around me. and of course i kept dealing with the school as i used to.
When i went to the high school the situation was the same, and worst-- stay awake all the night, hanging out and playing cards, going to the school with nothing except the pen, sleeping in classes, i didn't even buy the books ( 100% careless ). I started facing a troubles with Math and Physics, i felt that i would never pass the final tests ( the ministry tests).
One day when i was hanging out with my friends, jokingly i told them that i would get "B" in those tests, as it was 3:00 am and the first school's final test would be after 5 hours they said that it's impossible. one of them who is my cousin said " i dare you even to pass ". we were just joking, but in fact i took it seriously. When i went back home, i could not stop thinking about those words. the first thing i did that i took all the furniture out and burnt it outside , i kept only a chair, desk, and my 3000 Watt alarm-- which used to wake up all the neighbors before i do( i used to live alone that time). Then i called all my friends and told them that i was going to start preparing for the tests and that i want no one to visit or even call me untill the last day of the tests.
I put a plan, bought the books and started studying 18 hours a day.
Finally, the result===> 93.1 / 100.
I wont make conclusion for that. I'll leave it to you.
^('_')^ Peace
My family has always judged me positively since when I was child. They said that " If we encourage you, you can do better. Also, this helps you improve yourselves." Yes, this always help me because I know whatever I do to success, they support me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was at my first year of in high school, I had a perfect teacher. I learned many things in his lessons. Because of him, I wanted to be a teacher. The second year he was my teacher again, but that year he changed. He was very angry. Whatever my friends and I did, he rebuked us. I started to dislike his homework. He told me I didn't do anything, I didn't manage anything. Because of him, I began to hate Math.
When I was in junior high school, I labeled myself as an idiot because I always have problem with math. But my parents labeled me as a smart person. They always encouraged me because they thought I could do it. That hasn’t been helpful. However, I had no confidence with myself in studying math. Until now, my math is still very poor:(
ReplyDeleteking said:
ReplyDeleteI would classify myself as a shy and introverted person. i believe this has made me into a very successful person because it has encouraged me to excel in my studies and to accomplish many important goals whithout distractions.
Others also view me as a shy and introverted person.This is also been beneifical for me because it has not provided opportunities for others to distract me from my main goals in life.
I was good when I was studying in elementary school. Since then, my parents had labeled me as a smart child. That made me sometime good, but sometime bad. It was bad that I got stress from their expectation. But, that stress helped me to attempt to attend to the university, and I could do that. I was the only one in my family who finished undergraduate program from one of the top universities in Thailand. Also, I was the only one who recieved the degree testimonial from the King of Thailand. That was the thing that my parents and I were very proud of. Nevertheless, I do not like to be in any stress situations anymore. I do not want to make myself unhappy from that. Therefore, now I put more positive thinking in my mind. That help me to calm down and can give up something which is not necessary for my life.
ReplyDeleteAnother one of my labels which my friends have always call me clumsy since I was a child. It is because that I always pain myself by collide with something. Sometime I think that I was not be like that. When they did not talk about this, I had not done anything as they thought. But, anytime they talk about this, I must do something which seems to be the same as they label me. However, it is just a joke of my friends. I think it is not important thing to effect my daily life.
Well, I have given myself a label that is I'm not a successful man because of the difficulties that I've had in my life.It was a bad experience I've ever had in all past life. that's really effect my educational life.For instance, when I was in elementary school, I couldn't able to get a high score because of that label.However,I did two things that helped my to be success.First, I challenged myself to prove the opposite of that label.And I did by working hard and improve my skills and give myself a green hope. Second, my father has given my a label of the great man. that's actually helped me a lot.What my father did to help me is by encouraging me and keep calling my by great man.Moreover, he gave me a lot of presents to make my felling better . At the end I beat all the difficulties that I had and right know I'm doing better job in my life
ReplyDelete1.I gave myself a "unable to control myself" label when I was in middle school. I was the top student in primary school. However, when I entered the middle school, everything was changed. For some reason, I did not a student whom all of the teachers like most any more. I think I labeled myself as a girl who can not control herself at the time, because it could make me feel better. It is a foolish method for avoiding problem. It is really harmful. However, until now, when I have trouble, I still avoid it, even I know I have to face it.
ReplyDelete2.Lots of people give me a label as a "smart girl". Actually, it helps me a lot. For instance, I dose not study math hard in certain semester. Therefore, as the school year draws to a close, I have lots of problem. However, if I tell myself "I am smart. I can finish this book", and then I really can do it. There might be some psychological principle.
1 I give myself is "I'm not NO.1,but I'm a only one . " when i was in elementry school(I also a homeschool kid, i just take exam in the school or few classes in school) my teachers said I'm very different,they didn't know why i always ask them questions not common for exmaple, why we should study in the morning and sleep at night? my teachers hated me ask them like this qustions. And i also compeled the exam very quickly, and gave the answer to my friends, at that time, I thought study was easy to me. i was very happy at that time , i knew it was not good, i just wanted my teachers pay attention to me. It was stupied.
ReplyDelete2 Most of people said me special and smart.i was a top student in the middle school, but in high school, i didn't want to be a top student any more, so bored.I didn't want to study all courses,I didn't want to be a scinetist.I had many habits , and i tried many things,my life is so wonderful althogh i was not Top in the school. i was a extracurricular writer in my country, when i didn't have money ,i would write stroies to the magazines, i got money,then use money to design the doll's clothes ,and sold clothes on the Internet. When i save a lot of money, i went to fishing.Also i have many goals, for example, i want to got the MBA,because people often said in business world, men is better than women. I want to know this thing is true or not. Then i want to travel,and eat many kinds of food in the world .People said maybe i was a boy,because girls don't like me, i was a crazy girl, anyway, I like it, I enjoyed my life!